A Swords And Sorcers Prolog
by Bone Shadow
Summary: This is the tale of the tarmikos clan, the orcs who live in it and their struggles, and the birth of a hero amongst their ranks
1. Chapter 1

( This is a very long prolog to an Rp character I play, Hope anyone reading this enjoys it )

Firelight beginning

It had been fucking stupid to come here. Oh in hind sight the promise of more than three weeks pay for a job that any hairless boy with a blunt stick could do looked shady but when you're starving in a shit hole of a town looking for work you can't be picky. Brennan took another swig of the wine bottle he carried with him , if he was going to die at least he'd be well watered the night before. The fat bastard who gave him the job said it was simple , do some guard work on a small fort for a few days and get paid a fortune , of course he neglected to tell any of them that his boss another fat bastard was a merchant who owed debts to most of the other merchants in the Empire , and had holed himself up in said fort to avoid them. Unlucky for him he'd picked the fort right in the path of one of the largest raider bands in the country.

Brennan knew things where fucked when the orcs showed up, they strode in and basically said they'd be helping us kill the raiders whether we liked it or not, we tried not to complain. Hey we where just happy to have some help to keep us alive for a few more days. The merchant kept harping on about reinforcements coming, no one believed him not even the orcs. Earlier that day the raiders had surrounded the fort, by tomorrow they'd charge and break the doors down and kill them. Sohis fellow mercenaries had decided to spend their last night on earth in the most introspective and meaning full way possible.

Most of them where drunk by this point , the few that where quick had already managed to get their way with the sobbing maid looking for anyone with a semi hard shoulder and lose trousers to comfort them. Those who hadn't been so lucky where now in the one of the many verses of " I shagged the Sergeants daughter " and very very drunk.

Brennan himself wasn't in the mood for it, drink never made him bawdy or loud, it made him depressed and quiet. He wouldn't normally touch the stuff but he thought what the hell If I die tomorrow what does it matter. Part of him was regretting it , he slowly climbed the stairs of the fort to the small battlements it had to offer. He glanced over at the Orcs, they had segregated themselves to a corner of the fort, they where singing their strange grunting songs an drinking their own foul ale's. He'd gotten a sniff of one bottle,, his eye's hadn't stopped watering for the rest of the day.

He had no idea why in the gods names they had came here, they didn't talk much and when they did it was to each other in orcish. Their leader mention something about paying back a debt to the merchant. He'd let them stay if only to increase their chances. Brennan leaned slightly on the stone battlements staring into the dark , in the darkness, he could make out pin pricks of light that he knew where the fires of the enemy camp. Tomorrow they'd be running down that field and trying to tear them to shreds. This is how he died huh, with a hangover and killed by bandits for a fat merchant who picked the cheapest hiding place he could find, hardly noble , then again the life of a common garden mercenary was about as noble as a pile of shit. He was about to take another swig of his wine and hopefully pass out and await his death in sleepless drunkenness. " " Come for solitude too"

He turned around to see a strong figure sitting by the fire , he recognised her instantly as the flames reflected light onto her face. She was the orc leader. He had always thought Orcs where giant hulking things with huge tusks and who could only talk in one word sentences. He had also never even considered there would be female ones. She was tall, taller than he was by nearly a foot and a half. She was well muscled and carried the stance of a well travelled warrior. Her shoulder length black hair was braided and decorated with Orcish charm. He never catched her name, something awe full he suspected.

" My men are trying to get as much joy as they can from this terrible night, Unfortunately they are not able to die defending their homes and families, it's not an worthy death for them" Her common tongue was surprisingly fluent and clear

" My comrades don't have the problem, you don't get into my line of work with ties , it's not prudent" Brennan said sitting down beside her.

" I disagree, having something to fight for makes you fight all the more fiercer in order to protect that thing from harm " She responded keeping the fire going

" Your people think differently than us it seems" He said sipping the wine.

" I suppose , you came here for money. I came here to pay back a debt" She said gazing into the flames

" Oh to who"

" My late husband" She replied shifting slightly " One of those bandits killed his sister, he never got the chance to avenge her. I've decided to honour him by doing this"

" Ahh" Said Brennan suddenly feeling a lot colder , he moved closer to the fire. Maybe it was the drink talking but as he stared at her from across the fire, she look attractive, strong face well muscled, nothing like the cheap skinny dainty women he usually went for. He offered her the bottle and she accepted, " So I take it you have more to fight for than just to repay a dead man's debt."

" Yes, I'd like to go back home, I've got more responsibilities than I know what do with, there are people I've ...neglected, they need me. I intend to live through this"

" You are more optimistic than the rest of us are" Said Brannon " I think this might be our last night "

" Have faith, the gods will provide " She said returning the wine to him.

He chuckled " I really doubt it "

She smiled grimly " You know me too, I tell my men there's hope for us, that we can fight them, I don't believe it, We're severely outnumbered surrounded and in the worst built fort I've ever seen in my life " She let out a loud sigh " Is it me or is it getting colder " She said as she moved closer to the firelight, and closer to him.

They were silent for a moment , each of them staring into the night. " We're not living through this " She said finally " We're going to die here aren't we , in some godless shit hole fighting fucking bandits" He saw her fist tighten " And I die without completing my husbands debt."

She was shaking, was it the cold, no it was something else. It was fear, some chivalrous part of Brannon's brain told him he needed to comfort her , after all he was a man and she was a woman, it only seemed natural. This part of him ignored the fact whe was a foot taller than him abd could probably kill him with her bare hands in minutes but the point still stood.

His hand moved forward , touching her's. She didn't recoil. She slowly glanced around at him " Your husband would be proud of what your doing, you'd bring him a hell of a lot of honour"

She smiled slightly " For a human you aren't so bad, I now don't regret spending my last night up here"

She took another swig of the wine, he was certain she was becoming intoxicated, he certainly was and some how this made the situation all the more awakward. He gulped " So what to do next uh"

She turned around to face him " Well what are the rest of your men doing "

" Drinking singing Screwi... I mean seeking company " He said

" Well we're already doing one of those, how about we give the other one ago" She said moving forward. Brennan slowly came to realise what she meant. Oh. Was this really advisable , he was sure he heard somewhere that orcs ate their mates. But staring into her eyes across the fire, he didn't seem to care, it was his last night alive. He may aswell spent it with someone.

" I don't even know you're name" He said leaning closer

" Ariana , Ariana Tarmikos " She replied

Ariana , not awefull at all he thought as he kissed her.

And so that night the two lay toghether, not as a human and an Orc, but as simply a man and woman seeking comfort in their final hours. And they slept peacefull by the dying embers of the fire.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 : The end of the Begining **

_The Next Morning_

An arrow flew past his head. Brennan threw himself to the ground and cursed again, he had been doing that a hell of alot this morning.

He was on the battlements not a few feet to the left of him was the spot where he and Arinia had shared the night toghether. However at the present moment he really had bigger problems. He managed to sneak a peak through one of the cracks in the battlements, the raiders where advancing firing arrow to keep the defendor's head down. They where doing a damn fine job of it. A nearby Merc put his head up too high and an arrow buried itself into his skull. Poor bastard thought Brennan as returned his eye to his peek hole. A large contingent of raiders where approching the forts main doors, they had a large ram being dragged behind them.

Clever he thought as he crawled forward , if he was going to die he may aswell do it facing the emeny with a sword in his hand. He knew however it wouldn't be noble, Death rarley was , he'd saw many die torn, gurgling weeping and screaming. He had hoped to avoid it but now it stared him right in the face. He was about to climb down the battlements when he noticed a commotion ocuring in the main courtyard. He turned his head and squinted.

The orcs where lining up in battle formation. Those who had mounts where allready climbing onto them. That was the thing about Orcs they didn't use horse, instead they usually rode huge boars native to their homelands, illl tempered beasts too, they where larger and heavier than horses, with huge mean looking tusks too. These pigs looked like they'd be doing the slaughtering if they ever ended up in a slaughter house.

Ariana was at the front fully armoured and carrying a shield an large axe. " What the hell are you doing " He screamed over at them

The orc turned to face him " We're riding out , I'm not to die lying face down waiting for them to come crashing through the door "

" What the hell does it matter " He screamed again " I mean Is this really damn important"

" What does matter If I die in three munites or thirty. Goodbye Brennan. I'll see you in the next life" She replied as the doors began to open

Shit shit shit shit, Thought Brennan as the Orcs began to ride out , she was going to kill herself because of somekind of fucking stupid culture thing. What did it matter though, they where all going to die anyway , as he watched her ride forward Brennan felt himself sigh, there goes another woman out of his life.

...

Ariana's hand tightened on the reins of her boar, this was it wasn't it. Her last ride , then she'd be dead and gone. Strangely she didn't seem that frightened, she assumed that when she was covered in her own blood and bleeding from her open gut wound she would feel suitably frightened. The doors where fully opened now, she could see the oncoming raiders, the massive battering ram being dragged behind him. They seemed quite suprised to see someone coming out of the fort.

She couldn't help but think back to the night before , her and brennan. She couldn't have concived of it. She had been slightly drunk she admitted, but for a human he had been good, he even reminded her of Tarver. That thought caused her to puase, Tarver, she had never expected him to go this fast. Of all the things that killed him it had to be the sickness. It tore through the tribe claiming many of them. He was the last, she remembered the fist time she had heard , she had collasped crying and screaming. She hadn't been able to see his body until a few days afterwords.

She closed her eys and taking a deep breath thrashed the reins, " Forward! " She yelled as her boar charged with the rest of her companions roaring in responce , the full line charged through the now open gates, Ariania's eye's where wide open as she lifted her sword swinging it in an swepping arc decapitating one of the raider. She brought her shield up blocking a spear strike before driving her sword into the attackers chest. Her boar gored one of the oncoming cavalery. She roared and leapt from her mounts, slamming into one of the larger warriors, driving her blade into his neck. She quickly got up and managed to bring up her shield in time to blocj a wing from a raider mace. She stumbled back tripping over one of the growing number of corpses littering the battlefield. She tried to climb up but had to roll to avoid another swing from the mace weilding man. Drawing a dagger from her boot she drove it into his leg he roared and clumbsily stumbled back, she took the oppertunity to spring up and smash her forearm into his nose sending him sprawling to the ground and causing him to drop his weapon. She charged forward and and brought the dagger straight into his eye, killing him.

She managed to get a quick glance around. It was chaos everywhere, the front assualt by the raiders had been brocken by the orcs charge. But they where regrouping, she turned and saw the raiders who had camped at the back where now moving towards them. They where being cornered , caged then slaughtered. She gripped her sword tighter, but she wouldn't die without a fight. Roaring at the top of her lungs she charged forward into the fray, to find more enemies to take with her to the next life.

...

Brennan just watched gobsmacked from the battlements as Ariania tore through the raiders, I lay with that woman last night. He thought as she tore a man's throat out then disembowled another. What was I thinking? He made a promise to himself that he would never get drunk again, though he knew he never would as as soon as the orcs where over run the raiders would tear the doors down and kill all of them. He tightened his grip and shook slighly. Keep it toghether man die with some damn dignity. He heard a clunk as a large ladder clicked into place further along the battlements, drawing his sword Brennan ran forward just as the first raider's head face cautiousless appeared. With a quick swipe he took it from his shoulders and sent the body falling backwards form the ladder. Brennan moved forward stabbing downwards and piercing the shoulder of the next man coming up , screaming he trumbled back and fell from the ladder.

" I need some damn help here! " He screamed as he pounded as the shield of another raider climing up the ladder. A few more of his merceneries joined Brennan , crabbing the spikes of the ladder and pushing with all their might wrenched them from the stone they where embedded in. Grunting Brennan pushed the wood forwards as the ladder gradually was pushed away from the battlements. The raiders still on the ladder held on for dear life, some lost their grip and tumbled to the ground. " Push! " Yelled Brennan as with a final shout the Ladder and all left on it fell back , crashing and splintering on the ground, crushing and breaking the raiders still on it. Leaving the splintered wood and crippled bodies laying on the hard ground.

Brennan let out a few ragged breathes before the sounds of battle attracked him to the edge again. The raiders had pressed in further , what reamained of the orc charge had made a stand at the fort doors and were killing anyone who got close. They couldn't sustain it though, this was a last stand, and how long he lived depended on how long they held out. Ariana, please live.

...

With a swift swing of her sword tore the attackers arm off, she kicked away the screaming man and thrust her dagger forward piercing the eye of another one. She was wounded, blood trickled down her side from an axe that cut her, she had made sure to repay him for that. She panted, they had taken on another crew of raiders, this time they lost a few of their own. They were coming again, and this time she thought they'd lost. It was a huge crew now approaching them, this was it. She glanced back at her tribesmen, she nodded at them " Give them hell lad's, take a few of them with us. Valla meet us in the next life" She said. Closing her eye's for a moment she thought back to the tribe, Tarek, Kor, Hastor. I'm so sorry I couldn't look after you. Tarver, I'll see you soon my love.

"Forward!"

...

As one the Orcs charged to meet their deaths. But it was not meant to be.

As the Orcs and raiders clashed, swords axes and maces smashing into each others, severing limbs and crushing head, a low rumble eminated from the distance. From the battlements Brennan saw a dust cloud approaching them in distance. He was figures slowly emerge as it got closer and closer. Soon he managed to pinpoint the shape of horses coming in the distance. " No fucking way " He thought as he realised what was happening, the reinforcements the merchant had been raving on about were finally arriving.

The gleaming cavlery galloped closer and closer, he saw the banner they flew. They were knights, Order of the Silver shield he assumed. The raiders at the back of the horde were beginng to notice the knights charging at them. They began to dispearce as quick as they could. But most weren't that lucky, even from the battlements Brennan hard the crash as the knights ploughed into the horde of raiders. Their lancer carving through them and their horse's hoves crushing and kicking them away as they rode through them. It was quick and presice . They tore through the now rapidly disorganised horse as it began to waver then break. The horde getting smaller and smaller as those that remained realised the mountain of gold inside wasn't woth their lives. And in only a few minutes. The army that had once threatened to end all of their lives was now running for their own lives into the distance. They had won. Holy shit they had won.


	3. Chapter 3

A Few hours later

What remained of the defenders were scouring the battle field to find anything worth stealing, or they were drinking themselves to sleep in remembrance of dead friends. The atmosphere was a mixture of mournful sorrow and desperate joy, they had survived, but many hadn't.

Brennan picked his way to the central courtyard drinking for his recently pilfered flask, it was one of the many little things he'd picked up from the dead, a new coat and a brand new sword included. The dead didn't need trinkets, so why not. He glanced over to his right to see the fat merchant thanking the commander who had lead the knights in the charged that had saved them, he was sure that it went along the lines of. Oh thank fuck, thank fuck you came, thank fuck my fart arse isn't put on a spike or burning in a pit. As it had turned out the merchant was a major donator to the church of St Cuthbert, and specifically to the knights of the silver Bow themselves. So he'd sent a hawk over and off they'd came to his rescue, lucky us, thought Brandon taking another swig from his flask. The mere fact he had survived made things increasingly easy for him. Firstly he had the gold he was promised for the job, which was a substantial amount to look forward too, and then there was going back with the reputation of surviving a siege which would no doubt get blown out of proportion until he could conceivably any mercenary contract he desired. That didn't make him feel any better however, he still had to say goodbye, say goodbye to Ariana.

What had happened the night before had been…interesting, he had never had such a strong woman, so demanding, so passionate. Most of the women he had had were dainty and submissive, hell sometimes he was afraid that he'd hurt them if he went any harder, but not her. It was like she was made of iron, so strong, so uncompromising. He tried to clear those thoughts of the night before; he needed to focus on this. Ariana and the rest of her tribesmen where getting ready to depart, loading their ill-tempered boars with their equipment. She had loaded her weapons and armour onto it, she had a few more wounds with a scar down her side and bruises on her face. He took a deep breath, and walked forward "Uh hey" He said.

She turned and gave him a weary nod "Hello"

He waited to see if she was going to add anything, when he realised she wasn't he quickly tried to come up with something else "So you're leaving huh, back to the midlands"

"I am, my debt is done ,and they are dead. Now I must go back to my duties. I have people who need me" She added Getting her reigns ready

"I'll probably head back to Alinus for a little bit, I have some money to spend"

"If I were you I'd invest it in something, a business maybe" Ariana Said

"Really? You think so" He asked surprised by the suggestion

"Yes, play your cards right and you could double what you earned here" She commented

Since when do orcs offers money advice. He thought, shaking it off he finally said "Listen about what we did…"

"It was nothing, we thought we were going to die and we needed comfort and someone to be with, it was a one night fling" She said bluntly.

"Oh" Said Brennan slightly put down by that, what he expected, some declaration of love, some rising triumph against fate and the odds. No, it was exactly what she said it was, no strings attached and all that.

She mounted the boar, as did the rest of her tribesmen, she paused for a moment. Then sighing she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small round stone "Here." She said throwing it to him "If for whatever reason you should need to talk to me, attach a letter to a bird with this stone in it and it'll get to me." She said

" Oh well thanks" He said somewhat taken aback. "Well goodbye then I guess"

"Yes goodbye Brennan" She said "I wish you luck and fortune in whatever you do"

And with that and a crack of her reigns she and the rest of her tribesmen rode out of the fort, he watched them leave, a tinge of sadness filling him as he watched them go. She was gone.

He turned back and walked back towards the rest of the mercenaries, he needed a strong drink, and his damn money. And hopefully he'd forget the warrior woman that no one else would ever compare too.


End file.
